Stopping mechanism for knitting-machines



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. OURTIN. STOPPING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES. No. 402,905. Patented May 7, 1889.

T 1Y1 I 1 f ma: Z: w

| I" I} a WITNESSES: INVENTOH 'ATT-SRNE S (-No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. GURTIN.

STOPPING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES. V No. 402,905. Patented May '7, 1889. nulllllllijjilllllllln N. PETERS, Fhnl l lhographln Wuningion. D. C.

NITED STATES PATENT FFICE,

HENRY CURTIN, OF LITTLE FALLS, NEIV YORK.

STOPPING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,905, dated May '7, 1889.

Application filed January 21,1889. Serial No. 296,959. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY CURTIN, of Little Falls, in the county of Herkimer, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Stopping Mechanism for Knitting-Machines, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention consists, first, in novel devices for automatically stopping the motion of the knitting-n1achine in case the thread or yarn becomes disruptnred in its passage to the machine, and, secondly, in a so-called quarter-saver, which, in connection with other mechanisms, automatically stops the motion of the knitting-machine in case a hole is produced in the knitted fabric by the dropping of one or more stitches during the knitting process, all as hereinafter more fully explained, and specifically set forth in the claims.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a knitting-machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a horizontal transverse section on line 00 m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical transverse section of the same. Fig. 4 is a further enlarged sectional view of the so-called quarter-saver. Figs. 5 and 6 are elevations, respectively, of the inner and outer side of the quarter-saver; and Fig. 7 is a sectional view showing a needle-cylinder embodying a modification of my invention.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

B denotes the bed-plate of the machine. 0 represents the horizontal driving-gear, which is provided with a tubular hub, O, by which it is journaled t0 the bed-plate.

A represents the rotary needle-cylinder, which is secured to the hub O at the top of the bed-plate and rotates with the gear-wheel O. The latter receives motion from a driving-shaft, D, journaled in a bracket, B, formed the gear-wheel C. On the outer end of the driving-shaft D is loosely mounted a drivingpulley, H, and by a suitable clutch member, I, sliding longitudinally on said shaft and interlocking with the driving-pulley, motion is transmitted from the latter to the shaft. In

connection with the said clutch I employ a the shifter of a push-bar, a, parallel with the shaft D and passing through a sleeve, 1), which is provided with a head, I)", at the end facing the driving-pulley and open at the opposite end, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. To the portion of the push-bar awhich is inclosed in the sleeve 1) is rigidly secured a collar, 0, and between this collar and head 1)" of the sleeve is interposed a spiral spring, I), which crowds the push-bar a toward the needle-cylinder, and thus draws the clutch member I out of engagement with the pulley by means of an arm, a, which extends radially from the push-bar and has its free end in a circumferential groove in a hub, I, sliding on the shaft D and connected to the clutch member I.

In connection with the push-bar a of the aforesaid shifter I employ a tripper consisting of an annular plate, d, which loosely surrounds the base of the needle-cylinder, and is capable of moving independently thereof. This tripper or plate d is formed with a can1,e, at the side toward the end of the push-bar a, and by turning said tripper the cam can be brought into contact with the end of the push-bar a, and thereby crowd the same 1011- gitudinally toward the clutch member I and throw the latter into engagement with the pulley H. In this manner the needle-cylinder is set in motion. Said tripper is also provided in its top with transverse slots or notches cl, for the purpose presently ex plained.

0 represents a supplemental tripper of the form of an annular ratchet rigidly secured to the base of the needle-cylinder and in j uxtaposition to the tripper d aforesaid. To the latter tripper or plate (1 are hinged or otherwise movably connected a series of latches, f

f, one for each needle-guide T and for the quartersaver, hereinafter described. Said latches are adapted to drop into the notches of the two trippers (Z when they register or coincide with each other, and when the latches are thus entered the two trippers 0 (Z are locked to each other, so as to compel them to move in unison. During the movement of the tripper (Z the cam 6 thereof is removed from the end of the push-bar a, which is then crowded toward the needle-cylinder by the spring I), and thus the, clutch member I is withdrawn from the pulley H, and consequently the motion of the machine is stopped.

In order to allow all the latches ff to be simultaneously thrown out of engagement with the two trippers 0 (Z when desired to move the tripper (l independent of the tripper c and into position to bring the cam c to bear against the end of the puslrbar a, as represented in Fig. 3 of the drawings, I employ a ring, h, which loosely surrounds the plate or tripper d, and is formed with cams it, one for each latch f. By moving said ring circumferentially, so as to bring the cams under the latches, the latter are raised out of the notches of the two trippers c (I.

In order to automatically stop the motion of the machine when one or more of the yarns passing to the machine are accidentally disrupted, I hang onto each of said yarns a link, g, or other suitable supporter, which has its lower end connected to one of the latches f, and sustains the same in araised position and out of engagement with the two trippers 0 (Z. The result of this arrangement is that in case the yarn on which the link or supporter g is hung becomes disrupted the latter drops and allows the latch f to fall into one of the notches of the ratchet or tripper c and plate or tripper (Z. Said trippers being thus lockedtogether causes the tripper (Z to rotate with the needlecylinder, and thereby withdraw the cam e from the end of the push-bar a, the latter being thus allowed to draw the clutch member I out of engagement with the pulley H, and thereby stop the motion of the machine.

To eifect automatic stopping of the motion of the machine in case a hole is formed in the knitted fabric by the dropping of one or more stitches, I provide the inner side of the top portion of the needle-cylinder A with a circumferential groove or recess, i, which may be either formed directly in said cylinder, as shown in Figs. 3 and at of the drawings, or formed by inserting a ring, 0', in such a position as to cause the top edge of said ring to stand away from the needle-cylinder, as represented in Fig. 7 of the drawings, the fabric being drawn over the aforesaid recess, as indicated by dotted lines a in the aforesaid figures of the drawings. On a suitable stationary support at the out-side of the needle-cylinder is mounted a bracket, S, to which is pivoted a horizontal spindle, j, which stands radially to the needle-cylinder and reaches over the top thereof, and has secured to its inner end a finger or feeler, 7a, which is made to bear on the fabric directly over the recess 7; by means of a spiral spring, m, surrounding said spindle and secured thereto at one end and attached at the opposite end to the bracket.

To the outer end of the spindle j is attached a laterally-extended arm, j which is provided with a shoulder or offset, 3'' on its free end, and on this shoulder is hung removably a wire or link, L, the lower end of which is connected to one of the latches f. The feeler K and arm 7" stand at such angles in relation to each other that when the former rests on the fabric, 11, the arm j stands obliquely, as illustrated in Fig. (3 of the drawings, and when the feeler K drops into the groove or recess '1', the arm j drops and swings past a vertical position, as represented by dotted lines in Fig. 0 of the drawings, and when in this posit-ion the link L slips off from the shoulder j", and therefore the latch f is allowed to drop into engagement with the trippers c (l and locks the same to each other, so that the tripper (Z is compelled to move with the neodle-cylinder, and by this movement the cam e is removed from the end of the push-bar a and the latter is allowed to draw the clutch member I from the driving-pinion II, and thus stop the motion of the machine.

Inasmuch as a hole in the fabric allows the feeler K to drop into the recess 1?, it is obvious that in such a case the motion of the machine is automatically stopped by the aforesaid mechanism.

In order to insure the release of the link L from the arm j I secure to the bracket S a stationary knock-off, L, which throws the link L from the arm j as said link passes the knock-off.

In order to render the feeler 713 adjustable in its position in relation to the recess 1', I employ for its support a rod, R, of circular form in cross-section, and provide the bracket S with a corresponding circular eye, by which it is seated on the aforesaid rod. This seat allows the bracket to be tilted toward or from the needle-cylinder, as may be desired, and by a set-screw, Z, connected to the bracket and engaging the rod R, the bracket is retained in its adjusted posit-ion.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In combination with the needle-cylinder, an automatic stop-motion comprising a shifter adapted to throw the driving mechanism of the machine out of gear, a spring actuating said shifter, a tripper connected to the machine and adapted to actuate the shifter in opposition to the force of the spring, an auxiliary tripper arranged to rotate with the needle-cylinder, and a latch connected to said auxiliary tripper and adapted to lock the two trippers to each other and supported out of its locking position by the yarn passing to the machine.

2. The combination, with the needle-cylinder and its driving-shaft, of the driving-pulley mounted loosely on said shaft, a clutch member adapted to lock said pulley to the shaft, a spring holding the clutch member out of engagement, an annular ratchet surrounding the base of the needle-cylinder and rigidly attached thereto, a plate surrounding said part of the needle-cylinder and movable independently thereof, a clutch-shifting arm or rod actuated by said plate in opposition to the force of the aforesaid spring, latches connected to said plate and adapted to lock the same to the aforesaid ratchet, and links hung on the yarns passing to the machine and holding the aforesaid latches out of engagement with the ratchet, as set forth.

3. In combination with the needle-cylinder, thread guides, driving shaft, and looselymounted driving pulley, a clutch .member adapted to lock said pulley to its shaft, an annular ratchet surrounding the base of the needle-cylinder and rigidly attached thereto, an annular plate surrounding said part of the needle-cylinder,movable independently thereof, and provided with notches, a push-bar connected with the clutch member, a spring holding the clutch-member out of engagement with the driving-pulley, a cam on the aforesaid annular plate adapted to actuate the push-bar in opposition to the aforesaid spring, latches adapted to enter the notches of the annular plate and ratchet, and links connected to the latches and suspended from the yarns passing to the machine, as set forth.

4. In combination with the rotary needle-cylinder, its driving-shaft, and pulley mounted loosely thereon, a clutch member adapted to lock said pulley to its shaft, the pusl1-bara,connected with said clutch, the spring 1), arranged to press the push-bar toward the needle-cylinder, the ratchet c, rigidly secured to the base of said cylinder, the annular plate (I, loosely surrounding said cylinder and ratchet and provided with notches d and with the cam e, the latches f f, hinged to the plate d, the links g, connected to said latches and hung on the yarns passing to the machine, and the ring h, loosely surrounding the plate d and formed with cams h under the aforesaid latches, substantially as described and shown, for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of the needle-cylinder provided with a circumferential recess over which the knitted fabric passes, a feeler sustained yieldingly in position to bear on the fabric over the aforesaid recess, a shifter adapted to throw the driving mechanism of the machine out of gear, a spring actuating the shifter in one direction, a tripper connected to the machine and adapted to actuate the aforesaid shifter in opposition to the force of the spring, an auxiliary tripper arranged to rotate with the needle-cylinder, and a latch connected to said auxiliary tripper and adapted to lock the two trippers to each other,- and supported by the feeler bearing on the fabric, as aforesaid.

6. The combination of the needle-cylinder provided with the circumferential recess '0, the pivoted spindle j, feeler is, attached to said spindle and having its free end normally in the aforesaid recess, the arm j, extending laterally from the spindle and provided with a shoulder, j, a shifter adapted to throw the driving mechanism of the machine out of gear, a spring actuating the shifter in one direction, a tripper connected to the machine and adapted to actuate the aforesaid shifter in opposition to the force of the spring, an auxiliary tripper arranged to rotate with the needle-cylinder, a latch connected to said auxiliary tripper and adapted to lock the two trippers to each other, and a link connected to the said latch and removably hung on the shoulder j of the arm j, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In combination with a shifter adapted to throw the driving mechanism of the machine out of gear and a spring actuating said shifter in one direction, a tripper connected to the machine and adapted to actuate the aforesaid shifter in opposition to the force of. the spring, an auxiliary tripper arranged to rotate with the needle-cylinder, and a latch adapted to lock said trippers to each other, the needle-cylinder A, provided with the circumferential recess t', the spindle j, pivoted to a stationary support outside of the needlecylinder, the feeler K, attached to the inner end of said spindle, the arm j extending laterally from the outer end of the spindle, the link L, connected to the aforesaid latch and hung removably on the arm j, and the knock-off L on the support of the spindle j, arranged in position to throw the link L from the arm j, substantially as described and shown.

8. In combination with the needle-cylinder provided with the circumferential recess 1', the rod R of circular form in cross-section, sustained horizontally stationary at the outside of the needle-cylinder, the bracket S, mounted adjustably on said rod, the setscrew Z, connected to the bracket and engaging the aforesaidrod, the spindle j, pivoted to the bracket, and the feeler 70, attached to the inner end of said spindle, substantially as described and shown.

In testimonywhereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence of two witnesses, at Little Falls, in the county of Herkimer, in the State of New York, this 15th day of January, 1889.

. HENRY CURTIN. [L. s] WVitnesses:

HADLEY J ONES, WALLAoE Hosn. 

